Tire Fire Could Burn for Months, Say Officials
Fire broke out in an illegal pile of as many as 4 million tires and could last for months, officials said.
Black smoke billowed into the air Sunday from the dump covering more than 145 acres about 1 1/2 miles from Roanoke, a city of 94,000.
The cause of the blaze that started Saturday has not been determined, said Anne Marie Green, spokeswoman for Roanoke County.
Tire fires produce toxic runoff when sprayed with water and usually are allowed to burn out. Officials said they could not estimate how long the tires would burn, but such fires can last for months.
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